Kwanku, Kushanku

[ps1]

Has anyone here heard of the Kwanku/ Kushanku kata being refered to as Kung sun gun? I have a friend who calls it that and is nearly positive he hasn't heard it incorrectly. He's been studying martial arts for over 12 years too! His instructor and grandmaster both call it that. I study shotokan and we call it Kwanku or Kanku. There are Dai and Sho versions, but that's superflous in this discussion.

Can anyone offer any insight? I think it may be some vague reference to the possible creator of the kata, Kung K'ung. I get this very loose guess from the following site, under source 2.

http://www.karate.org.yu/articles/kata_kushanku.htm

Thanks in advance.

[Brandon Fisher]

It sounds like it may be a korean version but I have never heard of it. Kwanku, Kanku and Kusanku, and kushanku are the only way I have see it or heard it.

[Brandon Fisher]

Ok my assumption seems to be wrong. I just found it in the Original Martial Arts Encylopedia. According to it Kokuson was one of the original names for the kata. I am still unsure of its origin except for it is okinawan. It might be a difference in dialect in the language.

[ps1]

I agree that it may be Korean also. He says they practice the kata just like Shotokan, but his orginization calls it Tae Kwon Do. It's strange, because every TKD practitioner I've met used versions, but his are exactly the same as in Karate Do Kyohan except they use more Okinawan pronunciations. You know...Pinan instead of Heian and so forth.

Any TKD or TSD practitioners ever hear of kung sun gun?

[Jussi Häkkinen]

I've never heard Kusanku to be called as "Kung Song Kun" etc., although I'm quite familiar with Okinawan styles.

My guess would be that it's a new kata, named as Kung Song Kun by someone who wanted to add some mystical elements and historical claims to his karate.

[alsey]

the kanku kata originate from a guy called kushanku aka kusanku, kosokun, kung shang kung. i'd imagine kung sun kun is just another alternative spelling of his name.

[bushido_man96]

There is a question about this in the Korean Arts forum as well. Maybe some cross-examination will help enlighten the situation!

[alsey]

i guess if your friend's style is TKD then names are going to be a bit 'koreanised'. i think kung sun gun is probably just a korean version of kung shang kung, the chinese name of the kata's originator.

[legkicker]

I've never heard Kusanku to be called as "Kung Song Kun" etc., although I'm quite familiar with Okinawan styles.

My guess would be that it's a new kata, named as Kung Song Kun by someone who wanted to add some mystical elements and historical claims to his karate.

Jussi, do you still post on e-budo at all?

[Shotokan-kez]

I have only ever heard of kanku dai and kanku sho in shotokan